How To Know If You’re Really Saved,
Triumph Over Troubles
By Dr. Robert Jeffress

Jocko Willink is a former Navy SEAL. He’s written a number of books on leadership and character development for adults and children. He hosts a popular podcast. The other day, I stumbled over a video from a few years back of Jocko talking about his default attitude when things don’t work out in life. His attitude can be summed up in one word: Good.
He said, “When things are going bad, there’s going to be some good that’s gonna come from it. Didn’t get promoted. Good. More time to get better. Got beat. Good. You learned. Unexpected problems. Good. You have the opportunity to figure out a solution. When things are going bad, don’t get all bummed out, don’t get startled, don’t get frustrated. Get up, dust off, reload, recalibrate, reengage, and go out on the attack.”
If James, the author of the New Testament letter we are studying, had heard that podcast, he would have agreed with Jocko.
You see, James is the apostle of uncomfortable truths. This half-brother of Jesus, who wrote this letter, agreed that we are saved by God’s grace that is received by faith. But although we are saved by faith alone, our saving faith should never be alone. Saving faith always produces visible fruit. Faith without works is a non-existent faith.
One of the tests of the authenticity of our faith is how we respond to trials in life. James was writing to an audience that was suffering from a number of difficulties. As Jewish Christians, they were being persecuted from without. The Romans were ordering them to leave Jerusalem, where James was pastor. But in addition to suffering from external persecution, these Jewish believers were being attacked by fellow Jews—many times family members—who thought these Jewish Christians had betrayed their faith.
So, after the brief “Greetings” in verse one, James jumps right into the subject of trials.
1. Two Truths About Trials (James 1:2)
- Trials Are Certain (James 1:2; Psalm 34:18-19)
Trials are certain. James didn’t write, “Consider it all joy . . . if you encounter various trials.” He wrote, “Consider it all joy . . . when you encounter various trials.” This makes Benjamin Franklin’s famous quip that “in this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes” obsolete since at least one other thing is certain in this life: trials and troubles, difficulties and disappointments will certainly knock on your door. You can count on it.
Let’s say this clearly. Being a Christian does not exempt you from problems—if anything, it guarantees them.
- Trials Are Diverse (James 1:2b)
You will encounter various trials. The Greek word “encounter” is “peripipto” and is used only twice in the New Testament. It means “ambushed” or to be surrounded on all sides without a visible way of escape.” It’s used in the story of the good Samaritan to describe the man walking from Jerusalem to Jericho and “fell among thieves.” He was ambushed by very unwelcome circumstances.
Have you ever felt that way? Life is going along smoothly, and then suddenly, without warning, you are “assaulted” by an unexpected phone call, an uncertain test result from a doctor, or troubling news about one of your children or grandchildren. And these trials don’t come one at a time, waiting until we’ve finished dealing with the previous problem.
Trials are not polite; they don’t wait their turn.
Notice the word “Various.” The Greek word is “poikilois.” It’s the word from which we get the word “polka-dot.” It is a word that refers to the variety of trials that we experience. It is a word that refers to trials of different shapes and sizes. Some are big. Some are small.
The word James uses for “trials,” peirasmois, simply means difficult circumstances and can refer to everyday troubles, from the irritating and inconvenient—leaky hot water heaters, dead car batteries, or overdrawn bank accounts—to the heartbreaking and life-altering—the loss of a love one, bankruptcy, or a terminal diagnosis.
- The Value of Trials (James 1:3-4)
What is a true believer’s first reaction to a difficult situation? James says it should be joy. Sometimes, people misunderstand that word and suppose it is asking us to enjoy our trials. “Oh boy, my tire just blew out on the Tollway. This is so exciting!” or, “I’m so thrilled about this cancer diagnosis I can’t stand it!” James is no masochist who urges us to find pleasure in our pain. He is no stoic, advising us to just grin and bear our trials until they are over.
Instead, when James says in verse two to “count it as joy” when we are ambushed, he is not referring to our feelings about the problem but our attitude about our problems. There is a difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is a surface emotion that depends on our “happenings” or circumstances.
The word “joy,” however, comes from a Greek word that means “grace.” We can react gracefully when assaulted by various problems because we can have assurance that God is in control and can actually use this trial or trials for good.
The word translated as “testing” is dokimion, which means “tested” or “approved.” It was used to refer to coins or metals that had been proven genuine through a test.
But the word also refers to a piece of pottery that, after being fashioned from clay, is placed in an oven to be heated. What is the reason for firing the pottery in the oven? Not to break it but to strengthen it. If the piece of pottery survived the oven without breaking, the Greeks would write on the bottom the word “dokimos” which means. “approved.” The Bible likens God to a potter and we to a lump of clay. God is molding us into the person He wants us to be. But part of the process involves placing us into the firing oven. But while we are being tested we can know that God has his eye on the clock and his hand on the thermostat. He knows how long and how hot.
The end result of this testing is that it produces “endurance.” The word “endurance” (hypomonen) is an interesting one. It describes the quality that enables a person to stay on their feet during a storm.
Suffering brings sorrow, make no mistake about that, so don’t misread what James is saying here. At its root, the word “consider” (hegeomai) means “to lead” or “to guide.” James used it to encourage us, whenever we experience some difficulty, to make our leading thought one of joy.
Why? Because God can use this trial to strengthen our faith and make us “perfect.” The word “perfect” is “teleion.” It doesn’t mean flawless, but it means complete maturity.
- The Reason for Trials (James 1:5-11)
Yet, even though we know intellectually that trials can strengthen us, we can’t help but fixate on questions: Why is God allowing this to happen to me?
Someone has defined wisdom as the “ability to see life from God’s point of view.” James is saying that when we go through trials, we need to view trials from God’s perspective.
Now, let me be clear. James is NOT saying that we can always understand specifically why something happened. In fact, the Bible warns us against trying to affix blame for difficult circumstances.
Do you remember in Luke 13, someone told Jesus about a terrible atrocity—Pilate had butchered Jews who were worshipping in the Temple? The people wanted to know why religious people were murdered while worshipping God. But Jesus refused to answer and simply asked, “Do you think that these men were worse sinners than others?”
Jesus then brought up another tragedy—the tower of Siloam that fell and killed 18 men. Again, Jesus said the same thing. These people did not die because they were worse sinners than anyone else.
Whenever we try to explain God’s actions to ourselves or others, we are treading on dangerous ground. Job’s three friends tried to answer the “why” question for Job by trying to tie Job’s problems with Job’s sin. When Job finally asks God for insight, God refuses to answer the “why” question but answers the “who” question.
In the years that I’ve studied this passage, I’ve come to understand that the wisdom James is saying we need to ask for is more than a general assurance that God is in control. I believe when we are going through unexpected difficulties, we ought to ask God to reveal to us the answers to three questions:
- Am I responsible in any way for this trial? (1 John 1:9)
- Is there anyone who has experienced a similar problem that I could talk with? (2 Corinthians 1:3-4; Proverbs 11:4)
- Is there any positive benefit that might come from this tragedy? (Genesis 50:20)
4. The Reward for Trials (James 1:12)
James begins verse 12 with “Blessed” (makarios), the same word Jesus used to introduce His beatitudes. James probably had Matthew 5:11-12 in mind, where Jesus called those who endured insults, persecution, and false accusations “Blessed.” James mentions two reasons we can be joyful when we endure trials.
First, trials—if successfully endured—strengthen our faith for future trials. There’s that word “dokimios” again—approved. Once we have successfully endured our time in the oven of testing, our faith is strengthened for the future. That’s a present blessing of trials.
But there is a future blessing as well—we will one day receive the “crown of life.” The word “crown” is “stephanos” and refers to the victor’s crown placed on the head of the winner of an athletic event. The crown was symbolic of victory but it also symbolized real benefits that were given to the winner of the contest.
In the same way, the Bible mentions at least seven different rewards or crowns that believers might receive when they stand at the judgment seat of Christ. One of those crowns is for successfully enduring various trials without abandoning our faith.
Someone has well said, “If you will tell me ahead of time that the road is difficult, then every bump and jolt along the way will remind me that I’m headed in the right direction.” Life’s journey is filled with difficulties. But James says those bumps and jolts serve a divine purpose. They may result in our own strengthening, as a witness to an unbeliever, or as an opportunity for us to encourage other believers.
We can never fully answer the “why” question this side of heaven. But what we can know is that we have a God who understands our trials because He took on human form and experienced those trials Himself.
Full Passage: James 1:2-12